Over 12,000 hectares of forest in Indonesia’s future capital damaged by illegal mining, farming
Illegal farming and mining have damaged over 12,000 hectares of forest area in Indonesia’s new capital, Nusantara
JAKARTA, Indonesia (MNTV) – Illegal farming and mining have damaged over 12,000 hectares of forest area in Indonesia’s new capital, Nusantara, fueling growing concerns about the city’s long-term viability, according to the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) Authority.
Inspector General Edgar Diponegoro, head of a special task force formed to tackle illegal activities in Nusantara, said that 4,236 hectares of land had been converted into illegal coal mines, while 8,338 ha had been damaged by unauthorized plantations, reports ANN.
“This level of destruction is a serious warning for the IKN Authority, especially as we work to preserve the forest functions in the area,” he said.
Nusantara was designed as a green city, with only a quarter of its 252,000-hectares site planned for development and the remainder preserved as green space.
On Sept. 28, authorities seized seven trucks carrying illegally mined coal near the Samboja-Balikpapan Tollgate, one of the main access points to the new capital.
The following day, the team discovered stockpiles of coal and white sand from illegal mining in the protected Bukit Tengkorak forest area, in Sepaku subdistrict. At the location, authorities found 2,000–3,000 tons of coal, along with several piles of white sand ready for transport.
The site of the illegal mine is located only 30 kilometers from the new presidential palace in Nusantara.
Further investigations by authorities uncovered massive forest encroachment for plantations, the construction of illegal homes and unauthorized kiosks in the Bukit Soeharto Grand Forest Park conservation area.
The East Kalimantan Police are currently investigating the illegal activities.
To prevent further forest encroachment in Nusantara, Edgar Diponegoro said, the authorities planned to set up 10 guard posts at strategic locations across the city.
The posts will be staffed by IKN Authority personnel and assisted by local community security volunteers funded by the government.
“These guard posts will be equipped with 24-hour CCTV cameras to monitor real-time activity and are expected to become operational by 2026,” Edgar said.
He added that the IKN Authority would install warning signs in vulnerable areas and physically close off zones where development is no longer permitted.
It will also collaborate with the Forestry Ministry to rehabilitate forests damaged by illegal mining and plantations, with work expected to begin by the end of this year.
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